Winemaker's Notes:

The 2010 Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of plum, raspberry and cherry cola with hints of anise, cocoa, leather and dried herbs. Bright acidity on the front of the palate leads to a complex mid-palate and soft tannins on the finish. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

About Joel Gott:

Napa scion Joel Gott was born to make wine. His grandfather was winemaker and president of Inglenook in the 1960s and 1970s while his father, Cary Gott, is the founder of Montevina and continues to consult for wineries such as D.R. Stephens.

In addition to Joel's uncanny blending ability, he has privileged access to many of the best and as yet undiscovered fruit sources in the Napa Valley. Joel Gott wines are therefore remarkable values, offering gobs of classic California fruit, good structure and excellent balance.

Of course, Joel is also the proud proprietor of Gott's Roadside, Napa Valley's red hot retro-chic "hamburger joint" on Highway 29, and most recently, in San Francisco as well. Robert Parker once proclaimed a meal at Taylor's one of the finest meals of the year in the Wine Advocate!

Winemaker's Notes:

The 2010 Ménage à Trois exposes the fresh, ripe, jam like fruit that is the calling card of California wine. Forward, silky and soft, this delicious dalliance makes the perfect accompaniment for grilled meats or chicken.

My Notes:

Additional wines from Menage a Trois:

About Menage a Trois:

Given the choice, would you rather be a party of one…or a Ménage à Trois? In a blended wine, the different varietals each bring something to the table, making for a more complex, delicious wine. As a master chef uses different ingredients to achieve the perfect recipe, a winemaker skillfully selects and blends different grape varieties to create harmonious and intriguing wines. With each of our playful blends of three, there's no doubt that the whole is greater (and more fun) than the sum of its parts.

Winemaker's Notes:

The Colchagua Valley experienced an optimum growing season with excellent ripening. Extended hang time resulted in deep concentration of flavors framed by structured yet elegant tannins. On the nose you'll find concentrated blackberry and black cherry aromas with well integrated
oak. The taste is dense, red and black fruit highlighted with earthy notes and a touch of oak. Plush with soft, elegant tannins leading to a long finish.

About Veramonte:

Veramonte represents a return to Agustin Huneeus' Chilean roots. When he spearheaded development of the Veramonte Estate in 1990, there were less than 100 acres of grapevines planted in the Casablanca Valley.

The coastal mountain ranges surrounding the Casablanca estate create a unique terroir with a diversity of microclimates. The valley floor's cool climate is reminiscent of Carneros and ideal for growing premium Chardonnay. The foothills are warmer, akin to the more Northern reaches of the Napa Valley. Here, the climate is more suited to varieties like Carmenëre, the lost Bordeaux grape that has become Chile's citizen and the basis of Primus, our racy, exotic Chilean blend.

Using the latest viticultural technology developed in California, rootstock has been matched to each vineyard block and clone. Vertical trellising and dense vine spacing balance growth and fruit production. Veramonte's Casablanca vineyard produces significantly lower yields than other grape growing regions in Chile, resulting in grapes with more intensity and concentration.

Recognizing that the region also had potential as a tourist destination for its proximity to Santiago, Huneeus began to plant the estate and in 1995, constructed the first Napa Valley style hospitality center in Chile. The first wines were released in 1996.

Winemaker's Notes:

#47 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2010

The wine offers a brilliant ruby red color. As time passes, the hue is enriched with garnet tones that, as the years go by, lighten further toward orange with an ochre tint typical of Tuscan wines. The aroma is satisfyingly intense, fine and elegant, with light scents of ripe fruits and violets. As it evolves, the wine develops an appealing bouquet that is full and complex. It possesses a pleasant fullness and an outstanding balance of body and structure. Somewhat austere in its youth, the wine softens with age, becoming velvety and developing prolonged and appealing aromatic persistence.

My Notes:

Additional wines from Castello D'Albola:

About Castello D'Albola:

The Castello d'Albola estate is situated above the town of Radda, nearly 2,000 feet above sea level, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region in the province of Siena, Tuscany. Established in the 11th century, Castello d'Albola was initially owned by the Monterinaldi family. Over the centuries it was transferred to the Samminiati, Pazzi and Ginori-Conti families, and finally to the Zonin family.

Winemaker's Notes:

Rich aromatics of roasted coffee, black and red fruit on the nose lead to flavors of black cherry, black
plum and blackberry on the palate. The high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon creates dark,
brooding yet structured tannins along with subtle layers of vanilla, bittersweet chocolate and baking
spices. This balanced wine offers a well-structured mouthfeel that contributes to a long, toasty oak
finish. This Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful introduction to Alexander Valley.

My Notes:

Additional wines from Souverain:

About Souverain:

Winemaker Ed Killian has been making wine in California's Alexander Valley for 25 years. he knows the vineyards in the valley inside and out and understands which blocks will give him the fruit he is looking for to create Souverain's signature style. Souverain's 120-year-old estate in the Alexander Valley is the primary source for grapes for the illustrious portfolio of Souverain wines. Killian consistently produces outstanding wines that represent the best of Alexander Valley, including an Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the flagship Winemaker's Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.